The present invention is generally related to gaming devices and more specifically, to a gaming device which enables parimutuel betting on events such as dog races, horse races, or jai alai games.
Parimutuel racetrack systems, known as xe2x80x9ctotalisatorsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctote systemsxe2x80x9d commonly offer the ability for a racetrack patron to open a financial account and deposit funds in the account for the purposes of placing wagers. The cost of a wager is debited from the account balance. Winning wager proceeds are credited to the account balance. Account wagers are generally, but not specifically, placed by the patron using a telephone to communicate the wager to a terminal operator. The terminal operator accesses the account housed in the tote system to place the wager on behalf of the patron.
Although the above described method provides the racing patron with an elevated level of convenience, over the years, the racing industry has seen an increase in labor costs for terminal operators while experiencing a reduction in revenue because of gaming competition. Racetrack owners would like to maintain the level of convenience for patrons while reducing the racetrack operating costs.
It would then be desirable to provide an automated telephone based account wagering device which incorporates the services of a terminal operator without requiring the presence of a terminal operator.
Known automated telephone account betting devices employ the process of prompting the patron for a wager component and waiting for the patron to respond by touching one or several keys on a touch tone telephone to signal the patrons choice. This type of automated telephone account betting device is known as a xe2x80x9ctouch tonexe2x80x9d betting system. This type of system tends to be slow and confusing because the patron must wait for the device to direct the patron as to which wager component is being collected.
It would be desirable to improve the interface between the patron and the automated device such that, the patron may speak to the device using natural language and have the device recognize the speech utterances and take the appropriate actions. An automated speech recognition telephone betting device would improve the patron device interface by eliminating the need for touch tone telephones and more closely emulating the terminal operator. The automated speech recognition telephone betting device would further reduce operating costs at racetracks by increasing transaction rates and thereby reducing the number of telephone lines employed to collect the same number of transactions per hour as collected by touch tone devices.
In one aspect the present invention is a wagering device which enables telephone account wagering without terminal operators. The device, in one embodiment, includes a plurality of telephone lines. Many devices may be connected to a single tote system. The automated speech recognition telephone betting device is a multi-function device which enables the patron to open the account for betting, enter a wager, review past wagers, retrieve information about the racing products being offered on the tote system, and close the account when the patron hangs up the telephone. The device is a computer system configured to manage the entire telephone conversation with the patron. For example, the device answers the telephones, greets the patrons with an audio message, prompts the patrons as to available options with another audio message, listens to patron speech utterances, converts the patrons speech utterances into commands, transmits the commands to the tote system, receives responses to the commands from the tote system, and converts the responses to audio messages for the patrons to hear.
Generally, and in operation, the device will present audio messages to relate command options and process the patron spoken utterances to carry out those commands. At any time during the telephone call, the patron may speak the word xe2x80x9coperatorxe2x80x9d and be referred to a terminal operator. Also, at any time during the telephone call, the patron may speak the word xe2x80x9chelpxe2x80x9d and receive context sensitive audio messages relating to how to proceed with the conversation. The patron selects from an audio menu to place a bet, review previous bets, or review racing information. To place a bet, the patron speaks xe2x80x9cplace a betxe2x80x9d. The patron then speaks each wager component as prompt by the device. Alternatively, the patron elects to speak the entire bet in a natural language utterance. The patron speech is converted to a bet command and forwarded to the tote system for validation. To review previous bets, the patron speaks xe2x80x9creview betsxe2x80x9d and the device provides audio messages detailing the bets made during this telephone call reciting the most recent bet first and the first bet last. To review racing information the patron says xe2x80x9cracing informationxe2x80x9d after opening the account. The device presents an audio message asking the patron to select xe2x80x9cWin Oddsxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cPrevious Resultsxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9cScratched Runnersxe2x80x9d. The patron speaks the racing information option to be processed. To hear the Win Odds for a specific race, the patron speaks the track name and race number to be queried. The win odds command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning the win odds for each selection in the race. The device will present an audio message to the patron detailing the win odds for the requested race. To hear the results of a previous race, the patron speaks the track name and race number to be queried. The results command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning a list of results. Each result in the list of results consists of a selection, a bet type, and a price. For example, Horse 1, Win, paid $3.60. Each result in the result list is presented to the patron as an audio message. To hear the scratched runners for a specified track, the patron speaks the track name. The scratched runner command is sent to the tote system and it responds by returning a list of scratched runners by race. For example, race 1, 3 is scratched, race 2, no scratches. The list of scratched runners by race is presented to the patron as an audio message.
As explained above, one aspect of the present invention is to enable parimutuel account wager through the use of speech recognition. No known wagering device places wagers, reviews wagers, or reviews racing information by use of speech commands.